Embodiments of the invention relate generally to a system for conveying electrical energy and, more particularly, to a system for conveying electrical energy to and from a vehicle.
Electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are typically powered by an energy storage system including one or more batteries, either alone or in combination with an internal combustion engine. In electric vehicles, the one or more batteries powers all vehicle electrical systems including the entire drive system, thereby eliminating the need for an internal combustion engine. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, on the other hand, include battery power to supplement power supplied by an internal combustion engine, which greatly increases the fuel efficiency of the internal combustion engine and of the vehicle.
Generally, electrical energy is provided to EVs via an electrical grid for charging the on-board electrical storage devices. That is, many EVs are designed to “plug” in to an electrical grid such that an energy storage system of the EV can be charged therefrom. Often, a converting apparatus is used to transform alternating current (AC) that is provided from the electrical grid into direct current (DC) that is stored in the EV. PHEVs have also been designed or modified to receive charging energy from public utilities in a similar manner.
Public utilities, however, are just one of a variety of energy sources that provide electrical energy. For example, alternate electrical energy sources such as solar or photovoltaic arrays and wind turbines may also be used. Unlike public utilities, however, many of these alternate electrical energy sources are not designed to produce electrical energy in the form of alternating current. That is, many electrical energy sources produce electrical energy in the form of direct current.
Unfortunately, many of the apparatuses designed to aid in the transference of electric energy from public utilities to an EV or PHEV, such as the converting apparatus discussed above, are specifically designed to receive charging power from public utilities that produce AC energy. Often, another apparatus is needed to aid in the transference of energy from a DC energy source to an EV or PHEV.
Generally, the electrical energy that is stored in an EV or PHEV is used to power the vehicle itself (i.e., the EV or PHEV). As discussed above, there are apparatuses available that aid in the conveyance of electrical energy from an outside source to an EV or PHEV. There is, however, not a widely accepted means for supplying electrical energy stored in an EV or PHEV to a load not associated with the EV or PHEV. In other words, there is not a widely accepted means for converting a EV or PHEV into an energy source for loads outside the vehicle.
As such, it may be desirable to have a system that has aspects and features that differ from those that are currently available and that solves at least the aforementioned problems. Further, it may be desirable to have a method that differs from those methods that are currently available.